NICOLE GALLICCHIO 

I am an English-language editor, writer, and instructor with a background in the social sciences and 17 years’ experience helping people from around the world develop their ideas and shape their language to better reach their target audiences. Based in Norway, I work with clients in Scandinavia, Europe, Africa, and the United States. Please click here for my CV.

EDITING and WRITING SERVICES (see LinkedIn and CV for specifics)

• Editing, copy editing, and proofreading corporate and academic English

• Collaborative writing, including academic texts, marketing materials, and digital content

• Copywriting support, including promotional material and in-house communications

• Research support for evidence-based, effective communication

• Generating data-driven reports, summarizing “proof points”, and fact-checking

TEACHING and COACHING SERVICES (see LinkedIn and CV for specifics)

• Writing instruction and mentoring for native and non-native English speakers

• Language coaching, with a focus on English for academic and business purposes

• Presentation skills coaching, from classroom presentations and academic talks to boardroom pitches and digital content

• “Global English” workshops for academic institutions, corporations, and non-profit organizations

• Ethnographic and qualitative research methodologies and writing instruction

CULTURE-BASED SERVICES (see LinkedIn and CV for specifics)

• “Cultural translation” and cross-cultural communication workshops for businesses, organizations, and schools.

• Developing and implementing up-to-date culturally sensitive communication guidelines

• Qualitative research, including interviews, focus groups, ethnography, thematic analysis, and case studies

Rates vary according to the nature and needs of each project. Please get in touch!

My approach is flexible: I enjoy working with individuals or teams, collaboratively or independently, in-person or remotely, on short- or long-term projects, and with native and non-native English speakers alike.

PAST & CURRENT CLIENTS INCLUDE…

Lingu AS, Akasie språktjenester AS, Akastor, Miljødirektoratet, Redd Barna, Fafo, Fagbokforlaget, the University of Bergen, the University of Oslo, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, OsloMet, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, the University College of South-Eastern Norway, Paris School of Economics, Vilnius University, the University of Graz, the University of Granada, the University of Leipzig, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, Florida State University, the University of Notre Dame, and the University of Chicago. 

ABOUT ME

I am an Oslo-based editorial, writing, and language consultant. A life-long interest in language, ideas, and culture prompted me to pursue my BA in Anthropology at Amherst College, followed by an MA and several years' doctoral research at the University of Chicago’s Department of Comparative Human Development. 

I have worked in the fields of editing, writing, research, and education for 17+ years. When I am not playing with words, you will find me swimming in the fjords, hiking in the marka, learning Norwegian and Italian, restoring an old farmhouse in the French Pyrenees, guerilla gardening around Oslo, or curled up under a Rørøs blanket with my nose in a book.

SOME LINKS OF INTEREST

On writing—why we write, how we write, and ways we can improve our writing:

— I  teach about how to use storytelling elements in academic English writing and presentations, but did you know that it is also highly effective as a tool in business English?

— We talk a lot about rules and even if they're rules of thumb, sometimes this focus can lead us to feel constrained around writing and communicating our ideas in professional settings. For a change, how about some rules to break? 

— I often encourage my clients to reflect on their relationship with "hedging," to understand why they hedge and to ensure that when they do so, it's intentional (and effective).

— Lamenting the perceived lost art of hand-written communication, Paris has come up with a plan. 

— Have you ever read something that held profound meaning for you when you were younger, then revisited it as an adult? Author Anthony Marra describes a sentence that changed his life, then changed its own meaning as he got older…

— A.S. Byatt on storytelling and the roots of inspiration.

— While knowing the why behind your what is foundational to effective writing and presenting, tone is arguably equally important.

On the relationship between communication and culture:

— Are you up-to-date on current norms and thoughts around promoting inclusivity and sensitivity in your communication? The APA has some clear guidelines for doing so, as do many institutions (some of them establishing said guidelines as policies). And here's an article about something that comes up fairly often in my line of work as an editor: What is the correct term with which to refer to older adults? (One of the agencies with which I work has decided that "older adults" is the preferred term, as is "young people" in place of "youth.")  

— This is an old project of mine: a lighthearted take on how “America”, as an idea and a reality, is communicated and consumed (often quite literally!) in Norway.

— “Are we different people in different languages?” English writing instructor Ana Menéndez elegantly reflects upon the question.

— This thought-provoking article in The Guardian delves into the sociocultural implications of the “expat” vs “immigrant” label.

— I help my clients standardize (or standardise!) their English to target the audience they want to reach. Here’s an example from a UX specialist that assesses British vs American English for web content. This is another example, from an Australian journalist, that emphasizes (or emphasises!) other ways to think about reaching a global audience…

— Helping your audience to feel represented, or “seen,” within the content you put out in the world is important.

On grammar and punctuation:

— I spend a surprising amount of time on punctuation in my editing and in my courses. In the latter, I find it's much more effective to combine a bit of humor with instruction and exercises. Punctuation issues supply a wealth of laughs ... and no small amount of horror!

— My English teacher used to tell me, “Ain’t ain’t a word ‘cuz ain’t ain’t in the dictionary.” It is now, however! This is my way of commemorating its newly elevated status.